Carbon nanotube
A sheet of carbon atoms rolled into a tiny tube.
A carbon nanotube is like a sheet of graphene rolled into a seamless tube a nanometer or so wide. Nanotubes are strong and conduct electricity, and are used as additives in batteries and studied as transistors.
Where it matters
Technologies we track
- Carbon nanotube transistorsStep 2 · PrototypeCarbon nanotubes are sheets of carbon atoms rolled into tubes.
- Carbon nanotube battery additivesStep 5 · EverydayA small amount of carbon nanotubes mixed into a battery's electrodes forms a network that carries current through the material, letting cells charge and discharge harder without overheating.
- Vantablack nanotube coatingStep 2 · PrototypeVantablack is a coating made of carbon nanotubes that absorbs about 99.96% of the light that hits it.